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And that's how it started,
"What ? Have you not been to the Kruger" ( my question to a good friend from work)
How is it possible that you live in SA and have never been Krugerparking? Have you got a tent? No problem , I have one for you
The excuse I was looking for, LET THE PLANS BEGIN
I check out the calendar , pick a time out of holiday season, check the moon phases, time of year for water availability for the animals, also checked the tides at the coast just because they were available (still don't know why), and eventually decided on the soonest available booking that I managed to get at Lower Sabie. I thought that in April it would be good to stay close to permanent water, I have heard that animals quite like the stuff
Now to tell SO, she was just as excited as I was.
Love taking NEWBIES to the Park.
Could not sleep ,the night before departure, tossed and turned and eventually got out of bed at 11 pm, only to find SO and the Newbie, having coffee and waiting for me. Hitched the caravan and hit the road just before midnight. Big pressure on me now, what happens if I am " in the wrong place at the wrong time" ?

Isinkwe

Caravan packed on the road and introducing a Newbie to the Park how special.

On board to see what the Park had to show you.

I am ready and waiting and

The road driving down was an absolute nightmare. From Benoni we picked up the famous N4 mist, added to that, plenty roadwork's, single lanes, no road markings, and if there were any warning signs, think they must have been taken to the nearest scrap metal dealer
Average speed between Benoni and Belfast was about 70 km/h. Quite stressful when towing a caravan during the night. Not the most favourable conditions
Eventually arrived at the gate at 6.30 am



Quite disappointed that we had missed out on an extra half hour of Krugerparking.
But on the plus side, we thankfully arrived unscathed.

It did not take long to find my first idiot. The fool was taking a stroll from the gate down to the bridge



Could not believe my eyes

So now we have arrived. What will the Kruger dish up for us this time?

What a bad first sighting isinkwe! An idiot walking from the gate to the bridge!

Glad you have arrived safely! Now for all the wonderful sightings! Can't wait to read all about it!

Not the best sighting for your newbie friend to witness on a safe arrival to the Park ...such irresponsible behavior.

Looking forward to see all.

Definately on board for this report!

With that hectic drive behind me, left at the gate with the rat race, relaxation, calm, would be the order for the next couple of days
For starters I stopped and received some good advice from this Panther Agate Snail.



about the best possible pace for the Kruger park.
The road up to Lower Sabie did not produce a lot of game, but our newbie was delighted when we found this guy



Fortunately for me Giraffe were at the top of newbie's wish list. So far so good, but I had been explaining that in Kruger one cannot guarantee anything,

Our Newbie was amazed by the whole spectacle of Kruger that we as regulars sometimes take for granted.






This what I think is a Tree Agama welcomed us to lower Sabie



This was home for the next couple of days

Wonderful start! Looking forward to follow your report and sightings

On board for this interesting TR

Leana

Kruger: 14 - 20 July ( still have to find accom for 3 nights at LS )

Glad the newbie chose a Giraffe on top of his wish list, and not one of the more elusive animals isinkwe!

Love the Tree Agama and the beautiful Impie too! Your campsite looks awesome!

Well your Newbie, got his wish with the Giraffe.

Nice start, home you have there.

I'm on board too
first sightings... two legs and no leg... but a Panther one

Your campsite looks awesome!

Thank you for your nice comments:

Went for a short drive in the afternoon to see what we could find for Newbie, and ourselves.














Newbie was quite amazed about this new world all around her, her wish list was starting to change, cats were moving up her list. Everything we saw was her favourite
A short stop at sunset dam for a bit of quiet time.



Time to get back to camp, getting rather tired now from the drive to Kruger and have been on the go for 19 hours now.
Got the fire going for supper



Rump steak is always good on the fire



Supper time




And then off to bed, early start tomorrow
Wonder what Kruger will show us tomorrow